


Butterfly Bros

by EzzyDean



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-01-12 13:37:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1187268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of RinRei drabbles (unconnected unless otherwise stated.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Butterfly Bros

**Author's Note:**

> All originally posted on Tumblr. Some were previously posted here as well. Now reuploaded and collected in one spot.

It had been physically painful for Rin to watch him swim.  Sure, he reluctantly admitted to himself, the form was perfect but it was just sad to watch.  It had been bugging him for the last few weeks and after he mentioned it to Nitori one night the younger boy had suggested heading over to Iwatobi to see it again.

"Maybe you can figure out why it bothers you so much."   Nitori had mentioned on the way over.  "Maybe you can help him out some."  It didn’t take long to find Rei practicing in the pool.  Much to Rin’s dismay he hadn’t improved much.  Also to Rin’s dismay was Nagisa’s thrill at seeing him there.  After spending the first ten minutes listening to Nagisa babble about some candy he had tried that immediately made him think of Rin - "It was so hard and sour but the shell was really brittle and once you broke inside it was totally soft and sweet and you’ve gotta try it sometime!" - Rin had shoved Nitori at him.  Muttering for him to distract the blonde for a while.

"So."  Rei and Rin studied each other, Rei fidgeting with his goggles while Rin tapped his foot impatiently.  "I see you still suck at butterfly."  Rei’s mouth dropped open.

"I have done all the calculations and perfected the form, thank you very much."

"You’re still slow."  Rin stared at Rei’s blush, blinking in surprise when the other boy’s shoulders dropped.

"You don’t have to rub it in.  I already know how disappointing I am."  Rei slipped his goggles into place and strode to the edge of the pool, diving in before Rin could say anything.  Watching the other boy swim laps Rin couldn’t help but remember the look on his face.  He had seen that look in the mirror plenty of times.  Scrubbing at his face he let out a frustrated groan, causing Nitori and Nagisa to eye him warily.  He stomped to the edge of the pool and when Rei reached it he squatted down.

"Damn it.  I’m gonna give you some tips so you better listen."  Rei looked up at him in surprise and nodded as he started talking.

"What do you suppose Rin’s saying?"  Nagisa bumped his shoulder into Nitori’s.

"Maybe he’s giving him some advice?"  This was the first time they had really gotten the chance to speak and they immediately hit it off.  Nagisa had a bright personality that just seemed to spark the usually dormant mischievous side in Nitori.  "I know he’s been bothered for awhile now about the whole thing."  Nagisa looked at him in surprise before turning his attention back to the other two.

"Really?  Maybe he hasn’t changed that much."

Rin studied Rei’s laps intently.  He really did have great form.  He just needed to figure out how to use it.  When the younger boy hit the wall and pulled himself out of the pool Rin was waiting.

"Ok.  You have the form down.  But that’s not enough."

"I already know that."  Rin blinked in surprise, not expecting him to snap back.  Maybe this guy wasn’t so bad after all.

"Fine.  Here’s the thing.  Stop thinking so much.  You’re too damn focused on perfection."  Purple eyes stared at him in confusion and he let out a frustrated sigh.  He always sucked at trying to explain things like this to people.  Rubbing his head absently he noticed Nitori and Nagisa giggling over something.  They weren’t laughing.  They were giggling.  Like children.  He shifted his gaze to Rei.  Maybe that would work.  "Look at them."  Rei glanced over at the other two and then back to Rin.

"Ok.  What about them?"

"When they swim do you think they go over perfect form in their brains?  Do they run equations and have charts about their performance in a neat little pile in their heads?"  Rei looked again as the blonde and grey heads leaned together and sounds of their laughing conversation drifted across the pool.

"I know Nagisa’s not like that."

"Nitori’s not either.  Neither am I.  Or Makoto.  Or Haru.  You babbled once about Haru’s swimming being beautiful or something right."  Rei nodded and Rin continued.  "It’s because he doesn’t think.  He just swims."

"But if I don’t think I’ll just sink in the water like all the other times.  Just forget it."  Rei started to turn away but Rin stopped him.

"I’m not telling you not to think.  I doubt that you could stop running calculations in that thick head of yours if your life depended on it."  Rei’s irritated look did nothing but encourage Rin.  "Just start thinking about it differently.  Stop focusing so much on the calculations and factors and focus on the answer."  Rei looked at the water, trying to figure out what Rin was telling him.  Focus on the answer?  What answer?  He looked up as Rin tapped him on the forehead.  "Focus on the goal."  Rin smiled a little as a look of understanding came over Rei’s face.

"Less focus on  _how_  I’m getting there and more focus on just getting there.”  Rei looked at Rin, nodding as he ran the idea over in his head.  He took a breath and headed over to the pool, diving in without thinking.  No one was keeping track of times but Rin was pretty sure Rei’s laps were a little faster this time around.  He was definitely sure that watching the younger boy was less painful.  As he walked around the side of the pool Nitori bounced up to him.  Apparently he had been infected by Nagisa’s enthusiasm and he started chatting at Rin immediately.

"You really did it!  He looks better already.  You’re so amazing I knew you could do it."  Nitori chattered on while Rin stared out across the buildings.  He wanted to be gone before Makoto and Haru showed up and definitely before Gou got here.  The last thing he needed was his little sister cooing over how nice he was being to Rei.  It was bad enough hearing it from Nitori.  He was trying hard not to get a headache listening to Nitori when he felt a cold hand slip around his ankle.  His eyes shot down to Nitori as the younger boy grinned impishly.  The sky turned to water as Nagisa pulled him into the pool.  He immediately surface and spun around, looking for the blonde demon.

"Damn it, Nagisa.  Where the hell did you go?"  He hit the water impatiently and started to pull himself out.  Only to surface seconds later, cursing, after Nagisa pulled him under again.  Rei had pulled himself out and was wandering back around to the side after hearing the initial splash.  Nitori was standing next to the pool, doubled over in laughter, as Nagisa kept pulling Rin under and shooting away before Rin could catch him.  He walked up to Nitori as Rin surfaced and stumbled into him, sending the grey haired boy head first into the water in front of Rin.  When Nitori surfaced, sputtering, Rei shot a glance to Rin and smiled a little.

"I’m sorry, Nitori.  Without my glasses things can get a bit blurry sometimes.  I didn’t even see you there."  He gave a sickeningly sweet apologetic smile and Nitori eyed him.  Before Nitori could respond Nagisa came running from the side and tackled Rei into the pool as well.  When they finally pulled themselves out Rei thanked Rin, who shook his head.

"Don’t mention it.  Seriously.  Someone had to help you."  He looked over to where Nitori was trying to wring out his jacket.  "But nice job knocking Nitori into the pool."

"I have no idea what you’re talking about.  I just have bad eyesight.  Sometimes I can’t see what’s right in front of my face."  Nitori and Nagisa stared suspiciously at the other two boys.  They were actually laughing.  With each other no less.

"They have no idea what’s coming for them."  Nagisa muttered to Nitori as they shared a glance, already plotting their revenge.

"No idea at all."  Nitori smiled.


	2. So Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rei had explained things to everyone. But Rin still can't quite get it.

A heavy, yet not completely uncomfortable silence hung between them as they studied the sky.  Rei had been expecting the question for awhile now.  Now that everything was settled and they had all made the proper apologies necessary for the trouble they caused.  He smiled a little at the realization that when he made his decision he hadn’t entirely thought of all the outcomes and consequences.  The disqualification was a given but all the apologies and lectures had never really popped up.  It really was interesting how quickly good friends could change the shape of your outlook on life.

"We actually think a lot alike, you know."  Rin scoffed and Rei didn’t have to drop his gaze from the sky to know the other teen was giving him a disbelieving look.  "Stop scowling at me.  We really do."  He took a breath and wondered how to word it without sounding like he was just trying to play nice.  "The moment you stepped onto the starting block I could tell something was wrong.  Your form was all off and when everyone from Iwatobi was cheering for you I realized it.  Even though you had your school and Iwatobi there cheering for you, you were alone."  He felt Rin’s gaze drop and he knew he was right on target and that gave him courage to continue.  "I don’t know if anyone ever told you but once they realized that you were so distressed when you were getting out at the end of the race Haru and Makoto were out of their seats before anyone could react.  Nagisa and I were close behind.  Because they cared.  It hurt them to see you struggling so much."

Rin huffed and shook his head.  ”Just what do you know about that, Megane?”  If Rei thought he knew what Rin was thinking he could just kiss his ass.

"Oh we’re reverting to name calling again, Sharky?"  At Rin’s surprised look Rei let out a laugh.  Rin rolled his eyes.  Even Rei’s laugh was ridiculous at this point.  "Two can play at that game. But that’s not the point."

"So what is the point?  Why did you trade?"

"Because once we heard you yell that you were done swimming and I saw the look on Haru’s face I knew.  What we talked about that night repeated in my head.  You wanted to swim with the best team you could as much as I did.  And so did they."

"That still doesn’t answer the question."

"It does, more or less.  I wanted to swim with the best team I could.  That day they weren’t at their best for me," when Rin glared at him he held up his hand, asking Rin to let him finish, "because they needed you that day to be their best.  And your best team was them.  Not swimming by yourself or swimming with Samezuka.  But swimming with them.  You needed to swim with them and they needed to swim with you."  Rei finally looked at Rin and the surprise on his face made him realize that even if they did think a lot alike, Rin’s thoughts were still on a different plane than his were.

"They, what?"

"They needed to swim with you."  He pushed up his glasses and studied the teen beside him.  He really hadn’t pieced it together fully yet, had he?  "They made it clear that no one on the team is replaceable and I finally understood that watching them cheer for you.  I was never meant to be your replacement, regardless of what you or I believed.  You swimming with them wouldn’t affect how they treated me at all.  You swimming with them wasn’t going to replace me swimming with them.  Just like me swimming with them doesn’t replace you."

"I know I’m supposed to get what you’re saying."  Rin ran a frustrated hand through his hair and sighed.  "But it’s not connecting."

"For the team."  Rei’s quiet voice boomed in Rin’s ears.  Feeling tears gather at the corner of his eyes he quickly looked back up to the sky.  "Sometimes being a part of the team means putting them ahead of yourself."  When he felt Rin’s eyes on him again he finished.  "I didn’t see the same sight as I did when I swam the relay with them.  But watching you guys was truly beautiful.  I don’t regret it for a moment."

"But you wanted to compete in that race just as much as I did."  That was the part that Rin had trouble wrapping his head around.  The way they talked that night he knew that Rei was as adamant about that race as he was.  If not more so, given the fact that he was such a beginner at swimming.  "So why?"

"Because you never swimming again would have hurt."  He shrugged, not sure of what else he could say to Rin to make him understand.  "They asked me if I was sure and I was.  I still am.  In the end me giving up one time swimming with them was nothing compared to you having to give up your whole life of swimming.  You needed to swim with them and they needed to swim with you.”  When Rin finally spoke his voice shook a little and Rei knew he finally got it.

"For the team, huh."

"For the team."


	3. First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Imagine your OTP sharing a bed for the first time. They end up arguing over stealing blankets, snoring too loudly and moving around too much." I'd really love to see a Free! fanfic for this. Any ship is okay.

Rei blinked up in confusion as his eyes tried to adjust to the early morning light.  He was staring at the underside of a bunk bed and it took him a moment to figure out what a bunk bed was doing in his bedroom.  The warm body pressed to his side turned away, and once again took all the covers with him, and it came back to him.

He had stopped over at Rin’s dorm room the night before to return a handful of books he had borrowed and they had decided to watch a movie that Rin had just borrowed from a one of his teammates.  That had led to him missing the last train home and them deciding he would just stay.  Climbing into bed next to Rin had felt kind of weird.  It’s not like Rei wasn’t used to sharing a bed with someone - when Nagisa came over the blonde refused to sleep anywhere but on Rei’s bed with him - but sharing with Rin was nerve-wracking.

He couldn’t say for sure if the other teen felt like he did but he had noticed himself becoming increasingly aware of Rin these last couple months.  After taking some time to think about it seriously he had come to the conclusion that he liked Rin.  Romantically liked him.  Which made sharing the bed more awkward than it should have been.  What if Rin found out and was freaked out by it.  What if he found out and wasn’t?  There were too many variables and he was not prepared for the effect this was having on him.

Especially when he had woken up at one point and found Rin curled up around him and the blankets tossed on the floor.  He wasn’t sure if Rin was using him as a pillow to cuddle with or a heat source and he wouldn’t have minded either way except that Rin’s head was nestled against his chin and his hair was tickling Rei’s nose.  He had tried to gently move Rin a little bit and wound up with an elbow to the side for his efforts as Rin flopped away from him.  Surprisingly it didn’t even irritate him when it happened.  He just leaned past Rin and pulled the blankets back up over them both and went back to sleep.

Now it was somewhere near 7 AM and he was trying to tug the blankets back from Rin.

"Morning."  Rin said with a yawn.  "Sleep well?"

"Well enough considering you hog the blankets."

"So.  You snore."  A shocked looked crossed Rei’s face and he felt his cheeks flushing.

"I do no such thing."

"How would you know?  Aren’t you the one who is asleep?"

"I think I would know if I snored while sleeping."

"Yeah well next time you sleep over I’ll have to record it so you can listen to it.  It’s kind of cute actually."  Rei wasn’t sure if the blush on his cheeks was from the way Rin so casually inferred that they’d do this again or the fact that he had just referred to something Rei did as cute.  He could only stare at the other teen as he stood and stretched before handing Rei his glasses.

Any soreness from getting elbowed or bumped in the night was easily worth getting to see the way Rin stretched when he got up and the way he rubbed sleepily at his messy bed head.  He was wonderful.  Even if he did steal the blankets.


	4. Forever

"It's you."  He snarled as the other teen stood in front of him. Calling him out after a practice was a ballsy move; though it was one perfectly fitting of him.  He wished he could wipe that smirk right out from under those ridiculous red glasses.

“Of course it’s me.  Were you expecting someone else?”

“No I mean, you’re you.   I, ugh, nevermind.”  Did he always have to be so difficult?  Countless times they had gone through this routine and the ass still enjoyed playing stupid around him.  “Why are you always the one to find me?”  Muttering he brushed the red hair from his forehead and eyed the blue haired jerk.

“Ah perhaps it is fate that always leads me to you?  Our parting was so bitter.  Perhaps my love for you overcame destiny’s plans and lead me straight to you.”  A flash of red darted through his memories and those purple eyes were looking down at him, hazy and confused as their light dimmed.  He bit back the flare of pure white anger that always accompanied that memory and gave an airy smile instead.

“Bittersweet maybe.  At least I had a little bit of peace and quiet then.”

“Your words wound me, my treasure.”  A look of displeasure crossed the eyes studying him.  How many times had those eyes watched him?  How many faces had those eyes stared out at him from?  The one thing that never changed was that pair of eyes and that just pissed him off for some reason.  It wasn’t the horrible sense of humor or scatterbrained attitude.  It wasn’t the tendency to try and embarrass him.  It was those god-damned eyes.  The way they saw through any face he wore.  The way they collected every move he made.  The way he was defenseless against them.  Even hidden behind a pair of lenses they commanded his attention.  “Besides I’m not the first one to find you this time.”  It took a moment for him to crawl out of his memories and focus on the teen on front of him.

“What are you talking about?  Do you mean the others are already here somewhere?”

“Really?  You haven’t noticed?”  He didn’t quite catch what was said as the other teen covered his face with his hand and adjusted his glasses but he was pretty sure it sounded something like ‘It’s a good thing you’re always cute.’  He just shook his head.  It wasn’t his fault he sucked at detecting the others.  He had always had the weakest skills when it came to that sort of thing and even after all this time that had never changed.

“Are you going to tell me who they are here?”

“Well one of them is in the swim club with me and one is here with you.  I am fairly certain of which one is in your club but mine is a bit more difficult.”

“That doesn’t help narrow it much.  And it didn’t tell me who found me first.”

“I’m saying I don’t know which one of them it is for sure.  They’ve always been very connected to each other so their presences are hard to differentiate.”  Those purple eyes were locked onto his own red ones and he almost cringed at the sickeningly sweet words he knew were coming.  “But you’re so deeply engraved into me that I can always find you, Rin.”  Heat rushed to his cheeks and he couldn’t look away.  Hearing his name, hearing any of the names he had ever woken up with, being spoken in that tone had that affect on him.

“Rei.”  The purple eyes sparkled and he almost smiled at how much an eager pet the other looked right then.  “If you don’t stop that annoying habit of speaking in flowery almost riddles I will walk away from you and do this on my own.”

 

The meeting played and replayed in his mind as he curled up in bed that night, waiting impatiently for sleep to take him.  Ever since he had awoken in this body he had been having trouble falling asleep.  He wasn’t sure if it was his own emotions and frustrations or if those of the original body were bleeding into his.  The technical aspects of this whole experience were not his forte.  He was more of the figurehead.  No real skills to be mentioned.  It used to bother him a lot but it was the truth.  If he could start everything over and still keep the lifetimes of experiences and memories maybe he could be more than a figurehead.  But that was something else that he had no clues about.  Maybe he should just give in and let Rei explain things to him this time around.  It wouldn’t hurt anything.  Other than his pride but they all knew how often that got bruised and battered throughout their lives.

Rolling over he heard the bed shift above him and he sighed.  What he wouldn’t give to be back home.  All these lives were interesting enough but he longed for his desert heat and airy palace.


	5. Samezuka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruru and I have a Samezuka!Rei headcanon happening. Samezuka!Rei and Rin are total bffs on the team (Rei is sassy and sarcastic and Rin is blunt and mouthy.) No one is ever sure if they actually get along or not. No one understands them at all, really (except Nitori, who is the sparkling puppy dog eyed God of the first years because he survives Rin a daily basis which is a whole ‘nother headcanon itself.)

There’s a small crowd gathered near the far edge of the pool.  Captain Mikoshiba cautiously approaches, guessing who was causing the stir even before he heard their voices.  ”You really call that thing a fucking butterfly stroke, Megane?”

"Have you ever seen what you call a butterfly, pretty boy?”

"At least I’m not obsessed with something as dumb asif my stroke is beautiful or not ya damn freak."

"At least no one mistakes me for my sister when I wear a maid costume."

"You did not fucking go there."  Rin growls through his teeth, grabbing Rei’s collar and pulling him forward.  The only response was Rei raising his eyebrow slightly and blinking.

"Do you need me to repeat myself?  Did you not hear well enough the first time?"  He decides it’s time to break this up before things get out of hand.

"Ok you two.  Less fighting more practicing."  He gestures to the pool.  "Got that?"  Two bemused faces looked over at him.

"Fighting?  What the hell are you talking about?"  Rin and Rei share a glance, both smirking ever so slightly.

"We weren’t fighting.  We were having a friendly conversation."  Rei stripped off his jacket and handed it to a fellow first year, along with his glasses, before slipping his goggles into place.  "And now we’re having a friendly race."  They dove off simultaneously, strangely in sync for not having a count down, and the whole team looked on in awe.


	6. Side By Side

The hair was soft under his fingertips.  Much softer than one might expect it to be.  It was glossy.  It looked smooth.  But looks can be deceiving and that’s something he knew well.  

People who saw him expected him to be cool and reserved.  To be able to handle any situation that was thrown at him.  All because he adjusted his glasses a lot out of habit and tried to keep a neat appearance.  In his teens he had been obsessed with beauty and, studying the sleeping form next to him, maybe he still was.  Sunlight filtered in through the partially opened blinds and painted the bare chest with stripes.  He traced the line of shadow from one side to the other, face flushing when he realized he wasn’t the only one awake.  Sharp red eyes stared at him and he could feel the intensity of the gaze even without his glasses on to see it.  Most people flinched a little at those eyes but he had long ago learned to look beyond the surface of the world.  The day he had first stood nose to nose with the man lying next to him had changed his entire outlook on life and he was glad it had.

"Did you want anything for breakfast?"  He asked as he slid out of bed and headed to the dresser, a little embarrassed to be caught ogling like some hormone driven teenager.

"I would say you," his face flushed even more as warm arms wrapped around his waist, "but it’s well past breakfast time.  Maybe in an hour or so I could have you for lunch."  A soft kiss was pressed to his bare shoulder and he relaxed into the embrace for a moment.  He squinted at the clock on the dresser and shook his head.

"I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have to be at work today."

"You don’t have to work at all if you don’t want to."

"Maybe someday I’ll quit and let you pamper me night and day."  Grabbing a set of work out clothes and slipping his glasses on he pressed a quick kiss against protesting lips.  "But today I’m going for a run."  There was a scramble from the bedroom as he headed down the hall and slipped into his shoes, tightening the laces carefully.

"Wait for me."  Hand on the door he watched as hair was twisted into a messy ponytail and and shorts were hastily pulled on.

"You’ll just have to catch up, slowpoke."  There was a growl, a flash of teeth and then he was pressed against the door with a laugh.  A few loose strands of hair tickled his cheek as lips were pressed to his ear.

"You better watch who you call a slowpoke, Rei."  He laughed again and slid his hands down the chest in front of him, resting them on slim hips.  Shoving forward he pinned his lover against the opposite wall and bit gently at his neck.

"You better watch who you threaten, Rin."  He shut the door behind him as Rin hurried to pull on his shoes.  Taking off at a steady warm up pace he smiled when he heard the footsteps pounding behind him.  No matter which of them started first, they always seemed to wind up side by side eventually and at the end of the day that was the most beautiful thing he could ever hope for.


	7. Missed Messages

"Are you sure you should be ignoring your messages?  What if it’s something urgent?"  Rei bit back a groan as the fingers sunk into his skin skillfully.  These kinds of noises were not something he wanted anyone to hear.  No matter how wonderful his body felt getting this kind of attention.

"You’ve read all the books you can lay your hands on and you have a mile long list of things you do to prepare.  Yet you never stopped to think that just stretching wasn’t going to be enough to keep you from hurting yourself?"  Rin slid his fingers a little further to the side and pressed, feeling Rei’s muscles twitch under his skin.

"Just because you’ve been swimming longer doesn’t mean you need to, ah-" this time he couldn’t hold in his voice as Rin found the knot in his muscles that had been giving him so much trouble.  He could hear the grin in Rin’s voice as he spoke over Rei’s whimpering groan.

"That’s right I’ve been swimming longer so the least you could do is listen to me once in awhile."  Doing his best to work the tension out of Rei’s lower back without hurting him, inflicting pain on people wasn’t really his thing, he couldn’t help but smirk as the younger swimmer covered his head with a pillow to stifle his sounds.  "So as thanks for me coming over I want to hear you admit I’m right."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to say," his fingers hit the knot just right and Rei yelped, pulling his head out from the pillow and turning to glare at Rin, "these words: I’m sorry I was an idiot and didn’t listen to my Senpai and didn’t take a day or two off like he told me to therefore I wound up calling him at five in the morning on his morning off because I was in too much pain to get out of bed and too embarrassed to call anyone else."  The phone on the table beside his bed buzzed again and Rei glanced at it lying beside his glasses.

"You should check the messages.  It’s probably important."

"I am focusing on what’s important right now."  Rin muttered as he continued to massage the tension out of Rei’s back, moving up to his shoulders when he was satisfied he had worked the worst of the knot out.  "And what’s important is the fact that despite how smart you are about some things you obviously can’t take care yourself.  Just accept that I’m right, shut up, and relax.  I don’t let just anyone get away with waking me up at five A.M. for a damn massage you know."  


	8. Say Cheese

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: RinRei accidental stranger photobomb au.

Rin was just gonna take a few pictures to post and appease his sister - proof that he did indeed crawl his way out of his hotel room once or twice on his trip - and then crawl right back into his hotel room.  It was his vacation, his time away from the clusterfuck that was their life right now, and he wanted to spend it how he wanted.  Right now that was curled up under his blankets pretending the world didn’t exist.  He lines up a decent enough view, waits a moment for the camera on his phone to focus and taps the screen without really looking.  He hears a yelp of surprise and glances up just as the flash on his phone goes off and he winds up with a lap full of a stranger.

"I am so sorry," the man flushes as he glances up at Rin and Rin has to take a deep breath when he meets those purple eyes because the man is seriously gorgeous and seriously draped in his lap; elbows on either side of Rin’s thighs, chest between his knees, chin only an inch or two away from Rin’s… shit now is not the time to get a boner for a random stranger no matter how pretty his eyes are or how well his bright red frames seem to fit his face.

"That’s great.  Could you maybe get out of my lap?"  Rin mutters and he swears the guy’s eyes dart down to Rin’s crotch for the briefest of moment before he pulls himself up with a surprisingly graceful motion.  He licks his lips and then bows deeply in front of Rin.

"I am terribly sorry."

"It’s all good.  Please stop that."  Rin’s cheeks are flushed because now even more people are staring at them and it’s awkward and yeah it’s official he’s going back to his room and hiding.  For the rest of the trip.  His sister’s whining and texting be damned.

The man straightened and then settled onto the seat next to Rin.  ”I am still deeply sorry, um?”  His voice trails off and Rin knows he’s waiting for his name.  No matter what social problems he has he can function out among people.  He just doesn’t like it.

"Rin," he bites out and it sounds like it took everything he had to wrench it from his lips.  Which it kind of did.

"Rin."  His name slips easily from the other man’s lips and he smiles at Rin.  "I’m Rei.  Forgive me for being forward by why were you taking a picture from over here.  Wouldn’t a better, more memorable view, come from somewhere nearer the windows."

Rin drops his eyes to his phone and fiddles with it a moment.  How do you explain to a stranger, without getting into to many personal details, that you just wanted a stupid picture to prove to your stupid sister you weren’t a total recluse on you vacation?  Why was he even thinking about bothering?  The guy was a total stranger.  His finger twitches and he accidentally switches into his photo gallery.  His laugh startles him more than anyone - it’s been awhile since he’s laughed and maybe he kind of forgot what it felt and sounded like okay - and Rei looks over curiously.

"I think I have a pretty memorable view right here."  He turns his phone towards the man next to him and is surprised that it doesn’t bother him when Rei carefully takes the phone from his hand, fingers brushing his palm slightly.  You can just make out the windows in the background but most of the screen is taken up but Rei’s surprised face as he falls forward, eyes wide and bright behind his glasses and arms flung out to the sides.

"I would agree that it a rather memorable photo.  Again forgive me for being forward, but would you like to maybe walk with me a bit and see if there’s anything else we could take memorable photos of?"  Rin thinks about it a moment.  Thinks about his bed waiting for him, covers inviting and safe.  Then glances over to see Rei patiently watching him.  Something tugs at him when he meets that gaze and he sighs.

"Just don’t fall into my lap this time.  Or anyone else’s."  He’s pretty sure he’s blushing slightly but for the first time since he boarded the plane to come here he actually feels like he wants to go do something.

Maybe this vacation wouldn’t be quite such a hurdle to overcome after all.


	9. Kiss It Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: RinRei with "Shit, are you bleeding?!", for the dialogue prompt thing please?

They were usually much more careful than this.  Not just with each other but with life in general.  There was a certain order to the way they did things and that worked for them.  But sometimes you start making out with your boyfriend and wind up in a pillow fight that ends with one of you falling off the bed and taking the other with you.  

Rin rolls off of Rei with a groan and glances over.  He sits up fast enough to make himself dizzy and leans over Rei.  ”Shit are you bleeding?”

"Well I’m certainly not practicing calligraphy down here."  Is Rei’s muffled reply.  Rin tries hard not to laugh but at least if Rei still has his snark, a trait of his that comes out more and more often they longer they’ve been dating, then he’s not seriously hurt.  He grabs some tissues from the bedside table and hands them to Rei with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry."

"It wasn’t intentional.  Besides it’s nowhere near as bad as when Nagisa knocked me down the steps at school."

"Is that when you had that bruise on your-"

"Yes."  Rei’s cheeks flush at Rin’s grin.  "And I’d rather not talk about it.  It wasn’t remotely beautiful at all."

Rei finally gets the blood to stop flowing and Rin carefully takes the tissues and tosses them in the trash.  ”Do I need to kiss it better?”  He asks as he inspects the damage.  It’s really not bad.  A little swollen and it’ll probably be sore for awhile.  Rei nods and tilts his head up towards Rin with a smile.  Rin gently kisses the tip of his nose and then his cheeks and forehead and chin before pressing a final kiss to his lips.  ”Forgive me?”  He whispers against Rei’s lips.

"Of course."  Rei whispers back.


	10. Meal Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: RinRei AU where Rei is an alien who crash lands on Earth and Rin takes him in cause Rei is utterly hopeless all alone. The catch is that to survive Rei lives off of kissing and Rin is more than happy to be his #1 kissing source

"Ugh man what would you do without me?  You are just hopeless.  I thought aliens were supposed to be all advanced knowledge and technology and all that."  Rin sounds irritated but he’s smiling when Rei pulls away from pressing kisses to his shoulder to look at him.

"Misinformation and lies.  The lot of it.  Knowledge is knowledge there really is no"advanced" form of it, just a better understanding of things.  As for technology ours isn’t so much advanced as it is merely different from yours a different branch of the same tree."

That was… surprisingly easy to understand and a really interesting way to think about it and Rin spends a couple of minutes just kind of spacing out as Rei continues to kiss his shoulder and neck.  He had found the crazy little alien propped up against a tree on one of his morning jogs a few months back.  He had been staring blankly up through the leaves and something about him had made Rin stop and ask if he was alright.  He never really did understand why he decided to bring the guy back to his place.  Rin usually wasn’t one to pick up strangers like stray cats.

He had been shocked awake when the stranger had shuffled into his bedroom that night like a lost child and started kissing his cheeks.  After much flailing and surprised yelling Rei explained to him that he was an alien and their particular species didn’t require food the way humans did.  Instead they somehow (there was a detailed explanation but science had never been Rin’s strong suit) shared energy with each other by skin contact (a statement thatdid  _not_  make Rin blush thank you very much) and that Rei was very very low and if Rin would just stay still for a bit he would greatly appreciate it.

And now here they are: Rin is reading a book while Rei eats.  Or feeds or recharges or whatever exactly it is he does.  He knows that eventually Rei will work his way up and finish his meal with a soft kiss to Rin’s lips.  Rei’s kisses are always soft and gentle and caring and they almost scare Rin a little because he’s not used to feeling quite so treasured.

Rei is lingering along his neck and Rin shifts as his thoughts start to become distracted by the sensation of Rei’s lips against his skin.  ”It’s not entirely understood how it works,” Rei breaks away and Rin shivers as his breath puffs against Rin’s skin, “but somehow the closer the relationship between the two parties the more effective the energy sharing is.”

Rin shivers again when Rei kisses just under his jaw and then finally comes to his lips.  He swallows.  ”Closer?”  Rei hums and settles against Rin on the couch, content now that his “hunger” had been sated.


	11. Cats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Sometimes Rin wakes up to find a cat has broken into his home. He has pretty much gotten used to her and ever leaves out food but he does wonder how the fuck she keeps doing it. One Day she comes back with a ribbon and a note tucked in the ribbon that reads "If you've noticed a lack of silverware in your home it's because the cat keeps stealing them. Please come and claim your spoons there's like 20" and that's how Rin meets Rei

It’s not until the cat comes back with a note that he even really notices that so much of his silverware is missing.  His kitchen is a constant state of organized chaos which involves a revolving stream of not quite finished dishes.  So a couple missing spoons and forks isn’t exactly headline material for him.  He figures they’re just in the dirty dishes somewhere.

But the note makes him stop and wonder and once he stops he just  _has_  to know for sure.  So after he detaches the neatly written note with the cat’s apparent owner’s phone number on it he goes on a cleaning spree.  In a way he should probably thank the cat he realizes as he looks around his kitchen.  This is probably the first time since he moved in almost seven months ago that his kitchen has been completely clean.  All of his dishes are washed, dried, and put away.  His counter is clean and scrubbed.  His oven is shiny and clean.  He even went through his cupboards and fridge and got rid of a garbage bag full of old food and questionable looking take out containers.  He is missing some silverware but not the “at least twenty” the other person suggests.

Now that he’s started cleaning he’s almost itching to keep going.  He doesn’t have to work until late tomorrow and he has no plans for the time being.  But before he does he sends a quick text.

_How exactly does your cat keep getting into my locked apartment?_

He’s five minutes into cleaning his bathroom when the reply comes.

_If I knew that I could probably figure out how to keep her in my own apartment._

He barely has time to snicker at that when the next message pops up.  It’s a picture and when he downloads it he actually laughs out loud.  It’s what is most likely the other person’s kitchen counter and a neat row of silverware is lined up on it.  There are indeed over twenty spoons and forks and knives.  The caption on the picture reads: please tell me at least some of these are yours.

_I count five for sure that are mine.  I’d have to see them in person to know 100%._

He’s more than a little surprised when the other person seems to have no worries about giving a complete stranger his address and telling him to “come over when you can” and “sooner is preferable.”  He’s surprised when the next day he stops by on the way to work and the door is opened by a guy about his age.  A few minutes later he’s standing in the guy - Rei’s - kitchen trying not to laugh at the exasperated look on his face.

"You’re the only person who has contacted me and I’ve been tying notes to her collar for a week now.  At this point I don’t even care if they’re yours.  Take whatever you want from the pile."  Rin picks out his silverware and a couple of random ones just to make Rei feel a little better.  Then he goes to work and more or less doesn’t think much about Rei for a few days.

Until he stumbles out of his bedroom late one night to see the cat perched in her favorite spot on his kitchen counter with a pair of red glasses beside her and a smug look on her cat face.  It takes him a couple of bleary blinks to fully register what they are and where he had seen them before.

He shakes his head and snaps a quick picture before attaching it to his text message.

_Are you missing something?_


	12. And Dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Dog Walker!Rin meets Jogger Rei in the most unfortunate of ways which leaves Rin beyond embarrassed (Let's say ripped clothing??)

Had someone told Rin when he crawled out of bed that morning that he would find himself in nothing but his underwear in a stranger’s house in the middle of the day he would have laughed and crawled right back into bed.  Because this kind of thing does not happen to Rin.

But here he is.  In a stranger’s bedroom.  In his underwear.  He’s just glad he happened to shower and grab a clean pair of boxers this morning.  He winces when the cool washcloth is pressed to his shin and hisses as the man kneeling in front of him wipes the grit and gravel out of the scrape.  He can hear the reason for this situation whining from the backyard.

"Are you sure that dog walking is really the career choice for you?"  The quiet voice snaps him out of his stupor and he nudges the man in the shoulder with his knee.

"I am a damn good dog walker, thank you very much."

"Obviously."  Steady hands apply an antibacterial cream of some kind before gently pressing a band-aid to the scrape.  Rin drops onto the edge of the bed as the man in front of him switches his attention to Rin’s elbow.

It wasn’t his fault that the dog got spooked and tangled his leash around Rin’s ankles, and he tells the man as much.  The dog had tangled his leash and wound up tripping Rin up right in front of the man now tending to his scraped elbow.  Somehow he had managed to do it just a block away from the man’s house.  Unfortunately by the time they got Rin untangled and he limped back to the house Rin’s clothes were torn and bloody.  The man had refused to let Rin borrow any of his clothes until the blood and dirt was cleaned from his arms and legs and Rin’s scrapes were covered.

So here he was.  In his boxers in a stranger’s bedroom.  Well he knew the man’s name was Rei and that he had just been coming back from a jog when Rin had had his unfortunate accident.  When he glances down again and sees the concentration on Rei’s face as he gently wipes the dirt from his elbow Rin can feel a stirring of interest in the back of his mind.

Maybe being embarrassed and winding up in his underwear hadn’t been such a horrible thing after all.


	13. Bookshop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3 sentence AU prompt that grew

It wasn’t the shocking red hair (a little too long for “polite” society but it worked on him), the crazy teeth (something like that couldn’t be natural right), or the intense red eyes (had to be contacts they were too surreal otherwise) that caught his attention; it was the way the other man’s lip curled at the edges ever so slightly when he bit into the patron at the head of the line with a poison laced sarcasm that was so far over the woman’s head that she appeared to think he was complimenting her.  Rei placed his book on the counter and adjusted his glasses as the man - Rin according to the ‘Hello my name is’ sticker placed crookedly on his jacket - rang up his purchase.

"So ‘English for Beginners’ huh? If you ever need someone familiar with the correct  _tongue positions_  let me know,” the redhead grinned at Rei’s blush as he took his change and hurried out of the bookstore.

\---

It wasn’t until he was three-quarters of the way back to his apartment that his face finally settled from a shade of flaming red reminiscent of his first - and last - trip to the beach with his family last summer to a more suitable pink tinge.  It wasn’t until he opened his door and placed the book on the counter that he realized he still had the change and receipt from the bookstore clenched in his hand.  With an embarrassed groan Rei opened his fingers and dropped the contents next to the book, heading to the bathroom for a shower.

It was all Nagisa’s fault.  Rinsing the shampoo from his hair he poked at that thought.  It seemed like so many things these days were his friend’s fault.  

Rei was out of cereal: Nagisa ate the last of it when he was over last week.

Rei’s spare glasses were busted, all three pairs of them: Nagisa had a tendency to tackle-hug, latch on like a leech, and have bouts of extreme nuzzling and Rei was occasionally clumsy about such familiarity.

Rei was running low on money: Nagisa had spent all of his textbook allowance for his university classes on sweets down at the local bakery cause they were just  _so good_  (totally not because he had the biggest crush on the blue eyed baker or anything) and begged his “bestest friend ever” to help him out.

Leading to Rei being mortified beyond all belief at the latest development in his, admittedly, somewhat unexciting life.  Not that he really minded his life being unexciting.  He liked the way his life was.

 _BOOOOORING REI.  BOOOORING._ He only vaguely wondered when his inner voice had begun having Nagisa’s voice.  The fact that it didn’t really even faze him was probably a sign he needed new friends.  Or at least needed some that weren’t quite so adorably pushy.

But back to the problem at hand.  He toweled off his hair and slipped on his last remaining pair of glasses, eyeing the pile sitting on his counter warily.  Not that you could necessarily call a single book, a handful of change, and a crumpled receipt a pile.  But it  _was_  rather out of place in his apartment.  He sighed and headed to the kitchen beyond the counter.  He would get a drink of water and then he could at least put the money back in his wallet.  He’d deal with the book, and memories of the bookshop, later.

A cheery chiming sounded from his jacket and he groaned.

"Rei!  Hey!  Did you get my book?"

"Yes, Nagisa.  I did."

"How was the bookstore?  It was pretty awesome there, right?"

"It wasn’t bad.  But why did it have to be that particular bookstore?  I’m sure I could have picked up this book almost anywhere."

"Details we can discuss the next time we have lunch.  How much do I owe you for the book?"  He gulped his water and set the glass next to the sink.

"Let’s see.  It cost, um," Rei’s eyes widened as he picked up the receipt and looked at it - really looked at it - for the first time since the redhead had handed it to him with a grin.  He must have made some noise, probably some kind of unattractive dying whale noise, because Nagisa’s voice suddenly turned soft and gentle.  Like all the times Rei was working himself into a panic and Nagisa would be there to talk him down from it.

"Rei?  Is something wrong?  Talk to me, kay?"  After a moment of silence Rei vaguely heard a clatter from the other end and Nagisa scrambling.  "Give me twenty- no no fifteen minutes and I’ll be there, okay?  Just-"

"A phone number?"

"What?"  Another clatter filled his ear and Rei flushed again.  "I owe you a phone number?  Rei?"

"He gave me his phone number."

"Yeah fifteen minutes.  I’m on my way.  We’re talking.  I’m bringing cake.  Unlock the door wouldya?"

True to his word fifteen minutes later Nagisa was skidding through Rei’s door; cheeks flushed, eyes bright, cake and two coffees perilously balanced in his hands.


End file.
